MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee scored five runs in the first two innings en route to a 5-3 win over Louisiana Tech as the Blue Raiders salvaged the third and final game of the three-game Conference USA series.

Tech (11-20, 2-7 C-USA) swept Saturday's doubleheader but came up short in its bid to sweep the league series on the road.

Middle Tennessee plated three runs in the first and two in the second and then held off a couple of Lady Techster scoring threats over the final five innings of action.

The Lady Techsters took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Erin Kipp led off with a double to left centerfield and then scored from second on a bunt single by Janine Godwin.

However, Tech's lead was short-lived as the first four Blue Raider batters reached base in the bottom of the first, including a bases-loaded, two-run single by ??? Dukes to give MT a 2-1 lead. C. Willis then added an RBI single with two outs to up the lead to 3-1.

Tech answered in the top of the second inning. Hailey Winter singled and Anna Cross walked to start the frame and then following a line-out double play, Katelynn Hill singled to centerfield, scoring pinch runner Kristen Miles to cut the deficit to 3-2.

MT added two more runs in the bottom of the second inning on two hits and one Tech error.

After not recording a base runner in the third or fourth innings, LA Tech had opportunities to score in each of the final three at bats. Tech added one run in the top of the fifth inning as Hill doubled and Erin Kipp singled to put runners on the corners and then Pauline Tufi drove Hill home with a two-out single.

However, the Lady Techsters were unable to record another run-scoring hit over the final two innings as MT salvaged the third and final game of the series.